Fire rips through Littlehampton flat

It happened in South Terrace, Littlehampton, at about 11.45pm last night (Thursday, December 23).

Niall Cooper, station commander at Littlehampton, said: “The fire itself was not that bad, but the smoke was very thick. They were very difficult conditions for the crews.”

The whole three-storey block was evacuated, with about 16 residents being forced to leave their homes for more than one hour.

The blaze, believed to have been caused accidentally, was extinguished by 12.45am. The flat was 75 per cent damaged by heat, smoke and fire, and there was also damage to the communal stairwell.